We went to the North Beach Restaurant for a family celebration with 10 people. The food was good, but very pricey for what you get. The problem came when we ordered wine. We asked for some suggestions from the waiter, and he brought over a glass for us to try. It was a wonderful wine, but when we asked how much it cost, he pointed out the price on the wine list - again pricey- but we decided to order a bottle. We ordered another bottle of the same wine later, but it was quickly decanted and the bottle whisked away. The second bottle was definitely different than the first bottle. Bottom line: We ended up paying $90 a bottle for our wine, much more than we had planned to spend and more than the price listed on the wine list. My husband, not wanting to spoil the celebration quietly paid the bill. My advice: Be very careful when ordering your wine, ask to keep the bottle on the table, be sure it is the wine you ordered, and be assertive if you want a particular wine and do not ask for suggestions from the waiter as to which wine to order.

The food was fantastic. That's the top reason to go here. Every bit -- from appetizer to dessert -- was just delicious. And the service for our large group event was really outstanding...So why do I still have such mixed feelings about this place?

I had the challenge of putting together an event for a large group coming in from out of town. I do this often -- plan events when I don't live in the city. At first North Beach seemed easy to work with. I thought things were going pretty well until the weekend I arrived in San Francisco. When I called the two other venues we were dining at during this meeting, everything in those locations were pretty much locked in place. When I called North Beach I found that communications between the person I'd been working with in advance and the people working that weekend were not so clear. Even after talking with them by phone before I arrived at the restaurant didn't solve the challenge. It was almost like starting from scratch when I walked in the door.

The biggest issue was a push to add $135 bottles of wine to the group dinner service. I said no as many ways as I could, finally enlisting the help of a co-worker who couldn't have been clearer. No -- we weren't authorizing that wine. A short time later our guests began coming downstairs to the dining room we were told they'd also had a friendly push as they came through the door, asking them whether they'd "like to have this wine with your dinner?" Why is it that my advance email, phone discussions and face-to-face chats about our budget suddenly were not being understood? Another irritating issue was that I'd been specifically asked when I arrived at the restaurant whether we wanted special bottled water at the tables. I said no, but during the meal the servers quickly opened bottle after bottle of water and filled the glass faster than our guests could say "no thank you". Several people attending this event mentioned this seemed very forced service and they wondered what was going on. So, if you're on a budget make sure you are watchful, assertive and willing to argue if necessary.

On the plus side...the Proscuitto room was really something different...kind of like dining in part of the kitchen, or a movie set, or the back of a very clean meat processing joint that Tony Soprano would frequent. Kind of spooky, gothic, drippy red candles in funky silver candelabra. The room is loud and cold at times -- there's a very open ventilation system and either garbage or ice rumbles very loudly through a nearby passage. But this was definitely a memory maker. Lots of aging proscuitto hanging just overhead, and the slight aroma of something like bacon. Again -- just absolutely great food and service. The lamb was perfect, the seafood super fresh and done just right, and the tiramisu was dreamy.

So, the meal was wonderful. Beautifully cooked and presented. Loved the sampler plates they put together for us. The service staff was awesome. This meal was a great stop during our San Francisco meeting and I really wouldn't hesitate to tell others about how good the food was. In fact, it seemed almost petty to vent about these service issues that night. But it's kept bothering me.

If you like good food AND good service, forget this place. We had to shout to hear the waiter and each other. The waiter was not interested in us at all. He paid more attention to other patrons and couldn't get us out fast enough. The food was OK, but for a restaurant that was recommended by the hotel concierge and the price we were paying, I expected much more. Your service is at the whim of the server, if he likes you your all set, if he's indifferent, too bad for you. With so many other options nearby, take one of them.

Not sure why this restaurant is ranked so low, but that's fine with me because it's usually busy and any more people would mean my wait for a seat would be much longer.

I've been here a handful of times and each time is a great experience. This is true Italian food at it's finest. On my first trip here (picked out after an internet search), I was hooked. We had a good friend from Italy with us and he raved about the food. Reminded him of his mama's cooking. He said it was the best Italian food he's eaten since he's left Italy. Everyone's entree was superb, as we made each other sample each other's food as we could not believe it was that good.

The second time, we took some other friends. They now refuse to eat at any other italian restaurant because any other restaurant doesn't come close in food taste and quality. Yes, it's that good.

Each experience has been excellent. The polenta soup is to die for. I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu (everyone has always raved about each entree they have ordered). If you don't see something you like, they'll make something special for you. On one experiece, someone in our group was a vegen. They made up a special entree just for her. The veal menu is vast, but if you have a favorite that isn't on the menu...just ask and they'll make it up for you (at least that's what the waiter has told me...since the menu is vast, not sure what else could have been missed).

So if you want to enjoy a romantic evening in SF with a great meal, I would suggest this restaurant. It is upscale, but I've seen people walk in off the street w/ jeans and tshirt. Wasn't sure of it's kid friendliness, but I took my two kids there yesterday and they loved it. Staff was very friendly to them. Staff is normally very friendly and outgoing. Enjoy!!!